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7 household organisation tips

By Alex Brooks |

When home life starts spiralling out of control, the dirty dishes explode into a mess and the laundry hamper urgently needs some attention, most of us wish the Organisation Fairy would appear to save our sanity.

With most Australian mothers running a household while also holding down a job, it's so damn easy to get lazy around the house. But here are some ideas to fight off the apathy, lack of interest, or the plain ol' annoyance at keeping the house running nicely.

Think of it as a job

Whether or not you also have paid work, there is no doubt that running a household that has children is a job. Planning meals, paying bills, juggling the family calendar and being taxi to the kids takes plenty of skill, time and effort. If you think of your household as a company and you are the Chief Executive, then you might begin to tackle home tasks with a greater sense of importance and pride. Or maybe not! But it's worth a try …

Start with your own morning routine

Family life demands flexibility, change, and not doing what you want all the time, but it does help to create your own morning routine to kick off your day. Whether you want to go for a walk, tackle some housekeeping before the kids are up or simply shower and get dressed then make a plan for it.

If you need to get up 15 minutes earlier, then do it. If you need to give your partner or kids some new chores to tackle while you get stuff done, then do it.

Find a routine that works for you and make it part of your day, every day, so it becomes second nature.

Do the most awful chore first

After your morning routine, attack that one thing you dread the most. Is it laundry? Start a load of washing and then follow it all the way through to ensuring clean clothes are put away by the evening. Do you need to pay the bills but can't stand the work involved? Jump on it right away - the weight will be off your shoulders for the rest of the day.

Find pleasure - in something, ANYTHING!

Some people hate every bit of housework while others find it therapeutic. Most of us can find at least one task we enjoy - maybe it's preparing the evening meal or sitting down to eat with the family or even tidying up the lounge room after the kids have messed it up. Find one part of managing your home that you can take pleasure in and be inspired by your work.

Some people like to cruise the internet and connect with other mums, others like to go to the shops and have a chat with the locals. Pottering in the garden, folding the clothes, growing herbs or just sitting in your favourite chair and surveying your home can all become a source of pleasure.

It doesn't matter which part of running your home you enjoy, but make sure you discover the bits that please you and reward yourself by doing them.

Leave the house

When the carpet of toys sprawled all over the house gets you down and the laundry is still waiting to be put away, it helps to simply remove yourself from the surroundings and recharge your batteries. If the kids are restless with energy, it's even more important to go to the park. Go for a walk. Go to a friend's house. Go to the supermarket. Just do something to get out of your own four walls so you can feel happy to be back inside them with a fresh attitude.

Don't do too much

Perhaps you feel lazy about starting work in the house because you feel like you have so much to do, with no sign of completion. Are you trying to do too much?

Is the goal of your job to have a sparkling house, beautiful kids, and a three-course meal every evening? Decide what you want your household, family and home life to be like and let that be your guide for what you prioritize during your working hours.

End your work day

It's hard to see the end in sight, and there are always going to be nights where you don't get as much sleep as you had hoped, thanks to sick kiddos, babies, or wilful toddlers. But do what you can to end your work at a reasonable hour in order to spend time with your partner, recharge your batteries with some adult (or alone) time. Everyone has times in their life when the spark has waned, so do what you can to find it, instead of running your batteries on obligation. Everyone in your family will thank you.